Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a sitting apparatus and, more particularly, to a sitting apparatus that has at least one support for a user's arms with the user in a sitting position.
Background Art
A multitude of different sitting apparatus currently exists for use in the home and in businesses. The seating industry remains highly competitive, which challenges purveyors of seating products to develop functionally improved designs. Designers balance the commonly competing objectives of making an affordable chair construction and making a chair construction that is both comfortable and versatile to allow it to be used in different environments and adapt to users performing different tasks.
Arm supports/armrests are commonly incorporated into chairs to add to user comfort, avoid user fatigue, and make easier the performance of different tasks by the user from a sitting position.
Heretofore, a range of different chair constructions have been made available with arm supports/armrests with arm supporting surfaces that can be repositioned relative to the main frame upon which the chair components are built. Typically, arm support surfaces are movable vertically and laterally to accommodate different user heights and torso size and may be pivoted about vertical axes to support a user's forearms with the user's arms moved into different positions.
While these basic adjustments afford some level of utility and comfort, they are generally designed only to assist basic tasks, such as working on keyboards, etc. With the proliferation of handheld phones, tablets, computers, etc., user's sitting in chairs often hold such devices in a manner that it is impractical to use the available armrests. For example, a user may hold his/her phone with both hands immediately in front of his/her face. As this occurs, the forearms separate from the arm supports/armrests so that, at best, the user may find some support by planting the elbows on the arm supports/armrests. Extended use of the device in this manner may induce discomfort and fatigue.
The industry continues to develop designs for seating that can offer users additional comfort and more versatility at an affordable level.